Men's Cross Country Ranked 4th in Latest USTFCCCA Poll
CONTACT: Adam Sopris,a.sopris@hvcc.edu, (518) 629-7898 or (518) 416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, September 21, 2023
NEW ORLEANS – Two recent national champions are among the top teams in the Week 1 NJCAA Division III Men's Cross Country National Coaches' Poll, released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The 2023 NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships are set for Saturday, November 11 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama. It will be the first time since 2020 – and only second time since 1995 – that all three NJCAA divisional cross country championships will be contested at the same site on the same day.
Starting the year at No. 1 is Harper (Ill.). The Hawks were fifth in last year's NJCAA DIII Championships and are looking for their first title since 2018, which was the last of a streak of eight-straight titles. Harper returns three from last year, including top runner Albert Szewczyk (10th last year).
No. 2 Mineral Area (Mo.) CC is no stranger to high places, finishing second the last two years after winning in 2019 and 2020. The Cardinals look to be soaring again with four returners – three of them scorers, led by last year's national runner-up Bradley Ahrens.
Joliet (Ill.) JC is No. 3. Members of the rugged Region IV – which includes Harper as well as defending national champion College of DuPage (Ill.) – the Wolves have their highest ranking since being No. 1 in Week 4 of 2021, the year they last won the national title. Joliet returns just one runner from last year in Matt Clark (20th), who also finished fourth in the NJCAA DIII Outdoor 1500.
Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC is No. 4, its highest ranking since Week 3 of 2021. Two scorers are among three returners from last year's squad, but freshman Samuel Van Auken was the team's leading runner in its most recent outing at the RPI Harvest Classic.
No. 5 is a program-high ranking for Oxford (Ga.). Six freshman – including the top-2 of Oliver Campbell and Virat Vishwanadhula – led the Eagles to a runner-up finish at the Point (Ala.) Invitational.
Completing the top-10 are No. 6 (and defending national champion) College of DuPage (Ill.), No. 7 RCSJ Gloucester (N.J.), No. 8 Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) CC, No. 9 Kellogg (Mich.) CC and No. 10 Lorain County (Ohio) CC.